Most travelers know that some of the best bargains are in the off-season when poorer weather or the start of school makes vacationers scarce. So when do you travel to get the best deals? That depends. Peak season varies from region to region.
Summer airfares to popular maintenance areas, parts of Canada, and Europe can be high. But summertime travel to warm weather destinations. Florida, the Southwest, parts of Mexico, and the Caribbean can be a bargain.
If heat isn’t a big deal, why not take advantage of lower costs? Summer in the United States is winter in Australia and the Galapagos Islands (as well as many other places), so travel deals are available. Yet you can see and do many of the same things as in the peak season.
Midweek stays at resorts are often less costly than weekends, but city hotels that cater to business travelers have high rates during the week and bargains on weekends. The best airfares require a Saturday night stay unless it’s a local shop. You’ll sometimes find better domestic fares in the middle of the week or during off-hours on weekdays (late at night, early in the morning).
Weekend flights almost always cost more. Here’s the catch: What have you saved if you have to take off two days of work to get a midweek flight or book a midweek resort stay, and you lose either pay or vacation time? You’ll need to consider those factors as well.
SEASONAL SAVINGS
Regarding lodging, consider the “shoulder” season..the time between peak and low travel periods. If you book a stay early in the shoulder season, you can get a deal and probably still have the benefits of the same weather and opportunities available during peak season.
But sometimes programs are not available in the shoulder season. Families can cut costs in June and September at many guest ranches, for example, but there may not be a supervised children’s program or as many children to make friends with.
If you have older kids who would be out riding with you anyway, this is an excellent time to visit a guest ranch, as it’s often fewer children’s programs so that you could get in adults-only time; the money you save by traveling during the off-season may not make up for that loss.
YEAR-ROUND BARGAINS
Remember that you can have deals at almost any time of year and that bargaining skills are not just for use in foreign marketplaces. It’s standard practice at many hotels to quote callers the highest rate first.
The usual instruction for reservation staff is not to give discounts or special deals unless customers ask for them directly. Request a potential price reduction after receiving an initial rate to save money. There usually is. If you’ve seen a particular value in a newspaper or flyer, you should mention it.
Ask about discounts for group members. You’re likely to have the best luck bargaining with reservationists at the hotel itself as opposed to those at a nationwide number but try both. If no one will offer a deal, find a different hotel. You can guarantee that your costs will come down if you negotiate.
After booking your stay, check periodically to see if new deals have come up in newspaper travel sections. Ask your travel agent to continue checking airfares in case of special promotions. But don’t obsess about it. Vacation is all about letting go and being laid back.
TRIP INSURANCE
Did you know in advance the last time your child got sick? Probably not. And it’s a sure bet you won’t know the next time, either. In the everything-that-can-wrong-will-go-wrong scenario, picture your child breaking out with chickenpox the day before you leave.
And then there’s the possibility of lost or delayed luggage, baggage or essential documents theft, and medical emergencies en route. With these delays, it’s hard to tell which airlines have come out of bankruptcy and which are just filing.
The same is true of tour operators. So what happens when the company you schedule with goes belly up? You’re out of luck unless you purchased travel insurance (some credit cards include travel coverage, too, so check yours).
Most cruise lines, tour operators, and many outfitters will either offer a specific insurance package in their information kits or be able to suggest one. Travel agents can do the same thing for you. You will not get your best deal from those vending machines at the airport, so try to arrange for insurance when booking your trip.
Of course, travel insurance does not cover some unforeseen problems, such as your boss’s deciding at the last minute that this is the wrong time for you to be away. Please read the fine print to know what you’re buying and what it covers.
Check refund policies with your travel agent, cruise line, tour operator, or outfitter. Some offer no refunds. Others give refunds on a timeline. The closer to the trip date you cancel, the less money you’ll get back. Find out what the refund policy is before you decide to sign up.
TIPPING
Paying gratuities is usually a voluntary gesture based on performance and service. Many people in the travel industry depend on tips as a significant part of their compensation. Tour guides, for example, make a decent living only if they make proper tips.
If you travel with a focus on a city, on a river, or on a walking or biking tour, you should tip unless the service could be much better. Nevertheless, the cost details on your invoice may include specific suggestions or recommendations.
There are ranches with mandatory tips for wranglers and other staff, and there are restaurants that automatically add a gratuity to food bills. And with some types of travel–cruise ships, for example–tipping falls just short of mandatory. You can typically find details about what you should anticipate in the brochures.
It’s a good idea to check guidebooks and consulates about attitudes towards tipping in foreign countries; what we mean as a thank-you might be an insult in some cultures. And it’s important to note that some resorts have no tipping policy. When in doubt, always ask.
